Online dating is officially mainstream. "We met on Tinder" is the new "we met in a bar."

Countless children have been born to parents who met via an online dating app like Match or eharmony. And according to eharmony, more than 50% of couples will meet online by 2031 (they would say that, but it’s not an implausible forecast given online dating’s rising popularity).

With so many options, it can be hard to know where to find the best crop of potential mates. Each of the dating apps out there have features that will matter differently to you depending on your lifestyle, what you want, and what's most important to you. Looking for Ms. Right? Or perhaps just Mr. Right Now? It's helpful to know how each dating app is different so that you can surround yourself with people who want the same thing as you.

Whether you're looking for something super specific or have tried every app on the market, this handy guide breaks down what the deal is with each of these online dating experiences and who they're best suited for. Good luck out there!

Who it's for: Picky people looking for something super specific in a partner. And guys, this is not the place for the younger millennials: EliteSingles loves to brag that 82% of their members are university grads, and with most of its members being 33-50 years old, we can pretty surely say that the main target is mature, working professionals rather than the the Tinder-using generation. Sorry uni kids.Why it's awesome: Rather than being thrown into an endless pool of profiles, EliteSingles lets you pick out exactly what you're looking for. You'll be given a limited number of matches curated for you using 29 extremely detailed, professional-level algorithms based on the popular Five Factor Personality Test. They'll even show you your own results in comparison to those of potential matches to see how you stack up. Like eHarmony, the stuff to fill out is pretty lengthy — but that's what you want if you're looking for a lasting relationship, and this helps ensure that you aren't swiping through loads of people that aren't your type. Slow and steady wins the race, right?
Another unique thing is that there are separate pools based on location, religion, ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation. You can even break it down by profession if — for example, you are or were a teacher, you might only want to date someone who was also a teacher. All profiles are also verified manually with an upscale Fraud Detection System.
As you could have expected from the fancy-sounding name, EliteSingles is the most expensive of the bunch (but we say worth it). Sign up here and read our full review here.

Who it's for: Horny people. Why it's awesome: AdultFriendFinder is our pick for the best hookup site, and that's because it's literally impossible to walk away unsatisfied. Regardless of whether you're looking for an in-person hookup or to blow off some steam via sexting or raunchy videos, AFF has everything that your dirty mind can think of and more. If you don't mind that the entire thing looks like a sketchy "There are hot singles in your area" ad, you'll be in heaven.
With over 25 million monthly users (that's more than eharmony) as well as live video options, chat rooms, groups for ultra specific kinks, and more, you can probably assume how wild this site can get. But there's such a large and diverse group of potential matches, you're very likely to find someone who's on the same page as you. The part that you wouldn't expect is the fact that they do offer tons of compatibility questions and matchmaking services, because they're that intent on finding you a good match.
Another bonus is that AdultFriendFinder is like the dating site version of London (AKA it never sleeps). You'll find people who work the regular 9-5, people who work the night shift, and people in other time zones, so it's nearly impossible to log on and not have people to talk to. You can even check out the "How to Date" playlist on its Youtube channel for tips on how to ace the dating game. AdultFriendFinder is like the booty call that's always awake when you text them.
You can read our full review on AdultFriendFinder here and sign up here.

Who it's for: People who trust experience over gimmicks and people who want *a lot* of options.
While many dating apps go overboard with obnoxious advertising (leading to an unfortunate desperation stigma), Match offers a sliver of hope: They guarantee that you'll find someone in six months, and if you don't, they'll give you six months for free. Match has gained the trust of over 35 million unique monthly visitors, giving it the largest user base of any online dating site. Match loves to brag about their success stories on social media, providing you endless inspiration when your dating life looks grim. Why it's awesome: As one of the first online dating sites launched in 1995, Match has decades of data to back up their their algorithms — so no, it's not just another one of those sites that you'll forget about after a month. Match even uses your swipes to get a better idea of what you like to give you better matches in the future.
And guess what? These tried and true algorithms don't require some long, tedious questionnaire. Aside from asking about your personal values and interests, Match allows you to specify what you want (or don't want) in a partner and how important that is: If you'd prefer someone who doesn't smoke cigarettes but it's not a deal breaker, Match lets you specify that, and if you choose "This is a deal breaker," they won't give you potential matches that had that in their answers. It's a super simple way to make sure you two at least somewhat on the same page with surface-level things, and can avoid those awkward conversations two months into the relationship. Finding someone who has the same values as you is just as important as finding an honest person and the rest of that mushy stuff.
Sign up here.

Who it's for: Marriage-minded people trying to marry the next person they date. With an opening questionnaire as time-consuming and mushy as this one, we don't expect that many people looking for a hookup would put themselves through that. Their explicit goal is to "create more meaningful connections that lead to fulfilling marriages," so if that's your goal as well this is the site for you. Why it's awesome: The fact that it accounts for 4 percent of marriages in the US speaks for itself — that's an insane stat to come from a single dating site and proves that people are not messing around here. You'll only get a handful of potential matches per day and there's no search feature, so being patient is key. You can't rush things like this.eHarmony uses a comprehensive questionnaire with a whopping 29 dimensions to match you with people based on your long-term compatibility. You'll give yourself a rating on prompts like "I'm an honest partner," with sliding scale responses. On paper, asking deep questions like these right off the bat makes total sense when pairing two people together — but they're so basic and annoying. As much as you'd like to lie to feel better about yourself, you know deep down that's not the way to a healthy relationship. Admitting that you're not as mature in a certain area is key to eharmony matching you with someone who complements you. eharmony promises to pay for three months if you're not satisfied after three months, so they're clearly pretty confident that all of those questions work.
Warning: It does get pricey, but less so the longer your subscription is — and it'll be worth it when you have your boo. Sign up here.

Mashable
is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company. Powered by its own proprietary technology, Mashable is the go-to source for tech, digital culture and entertainment content for its dedicated and influential audience around the globe.